A sad post today

After being a 'bad blogger' and not posting since December, I kick start with a sad posting :( This past Wednesday our dear friends lost their Father/FIL/Husband to an illness he only endured for a week. It's been a trying time for them, as they adjust to life without him, and make arrangements for the folk in their world to say one final good bye. My own heart hurts for their loss, and I can't even begin to imagine the sadness they are feeling. We know that he is now in the arms of Jesus, and thus grieve with much hope of seeing him again!!

To Rob, John & Mahlah and girls, Mrs. Lockey and Grandma Lockey, we are grieving with you, we love you, and we're praying for you. May God's grace be all that you need and sustain you as you adjust to this new path of life God is leading you down.

Great Wolf Lodge

Wow, we had a fantastic time at Great Wolf Lodge!! The kids had a blast swimming, playing in the lazy river, Fort MacKenzie water area, wave pool, slides... you name it!! JA was thrilled to meet Lori Love whom she spoke with on the radio to win our trip to the GWL!

Here's a few photos for you :)


JA sliding on a kids slide


Just before we left, we got a photo with the talking tree in the lobby. The lobby was impressive with howling wolves, a HUGE Christmas tree, a real gingerbread house to eat in, lots of fun while you wait to check in!


Sophia enjoying the slides, and not complaining about 'perma wedgie' :)


Zachary LOVED the slides, kiddie, intermediate, and all the big ones he could get on!


Zachary sliding


Catching some waves!


hanging out in the kids area


totally exhausted!

Winter Wonderland!!

WOW, we were expecting a storm yesterday, and woke up to a few centimetres of snow on the ground. No big deal. However, apparently, it was freezing rain earlier this morning!! So church was cancelled. Then it started to snow. Michael has shoveled the driveway/sidewalk 3x today, and has shoveled my Mom out twice already! (Have I ever mentioned how much I love how well my husband treats my mother? :)).

Anyway... we did brave the roads and went to my in laws for lunch and visiting. The kids went bundled up, and played in the snow there for a bit. My FIL took them for rides on the big shovel! What a hit!! We played at home outside some this afternoon before supper as well. The kids had a great time shoveling, Michael replaced our burned out headlamp, and then we went in for hot chocolate and fresh cookies!! YUM!

Here are a few photos from the day!


JA and my FIL


Zachary and Sophia on their ride.


general winter fun


Sophia's first snow angel!


JA's snow 'boy' as she couldn't move her legs she said, so therefore no 'skirt'


TASTY!! LOL "We can eat these snowflakes, right Mommy? They haven't been on the ground!!" (Zachary)


Shoveling, can you see them amidst all the snow falling?!

So it was a good time... too bad it didn't happen on MONDAY to have a snow day!! :)

Wrapping Up The HOlidays Promotion

Stampin' Up!'s new promotion called Wrapping Up The Holidays started on Friday and is good through December 15th. Here is a list of what is available and the prices. Items from the current Holiday Mini Collection listed are the only Holiday Mini items extended while supplies last. All other Holiday Mini items will be available until November 30th.

Check out the following or look at the online brochure here!!


Orders may be placed on customer and workshop orders.
This offer includes a variety of products designed to help simplify preparation for holiday gift giving with a number of timely offers. These are:
Item Number Description Price
112409 Holiday Tag Bundle $5.50
110380 Tags for All Stamp Set* (20% off) $33.56
110264 Designer Gift cards* (30% off) $6.27
109862 Chocolate Chip satin ribbon* Buy 1, get 1 free!**
109863 Purely Pomegranate satin ribbon* Buy 1, get 1 free!**
112410 Tin 3-Pack $13.50
110147 Celebration wrapping paper* $24.95
110228 Hand Selected Accents & Elements (25% off) $11.21

There is no limit to the number of items you may purchase, but Holiday Mini items are available only while supplies last.



The Holiday Tag Bundle includes 15 of each of the following pieces:


* Whisper White card stock

* Real Red textured card stock

* Soft Sky Prints Designer Series Paper (Dotted Diamond pattern)

* Real Red twill tape


The pieces for this bundle make 15 cellophane bag toppers that are perfect for neighbor or teacher gifts. These pieces are from the Holiday Glitz card kit.

The satin ribbon offer (buy one, get one free) is good on both the Purely Pomegranate and Chocolate Chip ribbon. You may select any combination of ribbon for your free ribbon. For example, you can buy one Chocolate Chip and choose a second Chocolate Chip or a Purely Pomegranate ribbon for the free ribbon.


The Tin 3-Pack contains three empty Accents & Elements tins. These tins have never been available for purchase separately.I'll be placing orders through out this promotion so please let me know if there is anything I can get for you!



And Remember, until November 30th, there is still FREE shipping!

Neige?!

I woke this morning, too early... but the tink tink tink on my bedroom window woke me!! Freezing rain. Ugh. Yucko. But it had snow mixed in!! Snow, this early... so strange. I got the kids snowsuits out (which we have been graciously freecycled!)... but JA was too sick to go to school today :( Sore throat, fever, etc. *sigh* So I got Zachary into all his winter finery (ok, so his hat was really Sophia's! LOL) and got him off to school. It was wet snow. But this afternoon, JA was feeling some better (meds really work wonders!), and all three kids went out to play for half an hour. We still have a mountain of leaves to bag up... ick.

So I'm tracking the weather all the time now...watching for snow, temps, and wether Mike is done with riding for the year. Should be fun!!

Way to Go Julie-Anna!!

So we got a Sleep Cheap room for next Thursday night. We were happy to just have an indoor pool in November!! It was going to be a great surprise for the kids.

However, a local radio station EZ Rock has a Kids Korner contest every morning at 7:40. We have been trying for a long time to get a win on the contest... some I just don't even try for (like Hillary Duff concert tickets), but lots of the others we do! The month of November has them giving away Family Passes/overnight stay at Great Wolf Lodge! So she FINALLY got through on Tuesday morning. The question was "What is a pool rule?" She of course said "No running on the deck!!" So we won family time!! It starts with a pizza party put on by Pizza Hut Express, then waterpark passes for all of us... overnight accomodations, breakfast broadcast on Friday morning (It's a PA day!), and waterpark passes for Friday too! WHOO HOOO!! We are all super excited! WAY TO GO JA!!!

Sickness abounds

Ugh... now Mike and I have sore throats. It sucks rocks.

On another, way more positive note, I rejoinedCurves today!! I went for a free workout. I forgot how much I enjoyed it when I went! Now that the kids are older, no more nursing babies, etc... I have more time to go! I am super excited about it, AND I have friends who also joined, so we can work out together!!